US2679900A - Slitting shear - Google Patents

Description

June 1, 1954 H. A. BOTTENHORN SLITTING SHEAR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 001;. 27, 1950 INVENTOR.

flarrzvwmnv HTTO/F/VEKS June 1, 1954 H. A. BQTTENHORN SLITTING SHEAR Filed 001:. 27, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 INVENTOR. flew/WWI 4. Earns/wow 3 Slitting shear 1G includes a frame formed by a lower base H and an upper beam 12 which is supported on and vertically movable relative to the base i l.

The vertically movable mounting of upper beam I2 is preferably accomplished by pairs of columns 13 extending vertically from bosses i l formed on the front and rear sides of base H adjacent the opposite ends of the latter. Each column i3 is formed with an upper section '5 having a threaded portion. The upper beam I2 is provided with hollow bosses l8, vertically aligned with the bosses M of the base, to loosely receive the threaded portions of the related columns i3, and each boss I8 is formed with an enlarged portion forming a casing or housing IQ for a nut member which is rotatable therein (Fig. 2) and threadedly engages the threaded portion of the related column. Thus, the upper beam i2 is movable vertically by rotation of nut members 2a to displace the latter along the threaded portions of the columns.

In order to resiliently remove the weight of upper beam [2 from the nuts 25, cross-heads I! are supported at their opposite ends to the upper ends 16 of the forward and rearward columns 13. Hanger rods 21 extend slidably through crossheads I? and are provided with suitable abutments at their upper ends. Compression springs 22 are interposed between such abutments and cross-heads ll (Fig. 6) to continuously urge rods 2| upwardly, and the lower ends of the rods are headed to engage the upper beam and lift the latter. Thus, the springs 22 support the weight of upper beam l2 and take-up any play that may I be present between nut members 28 and the threaded ortions of columns l3 as well as facilitating the rotation of the nut members.

In order to rotate the four nut members 20 simultaneously for effecting uniform vertical displacement of upper beam 12, two worms 23, extending fore and aft, are journalled in the upper beam for meshing engagement adjacent their opposite ends with worm gears formed on the periphery of the forwardly and rearwardly located nut members, and both worms 23 have bevel gears 24 at one end meshing with bevel gears 25 on the opposite ends of a shaft extending lengthwise of, and journalled on, the beam l2 to be rotated either manually or by a suitable electric motor 26. Thus, the upper beam I2 is both vertically adjustable relative to the base ll and resiliently mounted to provide advantages that will be apparent as this description proceeds.

As seen in Fig. 2, base I I is formed with an open ended channel extending the length thereof and opening along its length toward the upper beam to provide a guide way 21 within which the supporting structure for the lower rotary shear blades may be mounted for horizontal movement laterally along the base. The upper beam i2 is similarly formed with an open ended channel extending the length thereof and opening along its length toward base H to provide a guideway 28 within which the supporting structure for the upper rotary shear blades may be mounted for horizontal movement laterally along the upper beam. The supporting structure for the upper and lower shear blades is the same but inverted, and reference will for convenience be made only to the supporting structure for the upper shear blades in describing the details of the preferred construction thereof, it being understood that the corresponding parts of the supporting structure for the lower shear blades are identified by primed 4 numerals corresponding to the reference numerals affixed to the described structure.

The preferred supporting structure for the upper shear blades, seen in sectional view in Fig. 6, includes box-like main carriages 29 slidable in guideway 28 and open at the sides thereof facing out of such guideway. Two of such main carriages are provided in each guideway of the illustrated embodiment, however, any desired number thereof may be utilized depending upon the number of shear blades to be supported and within the limitations imposed by the size of the machine. The opposite end walls of each of the main carriages are extended out of the guideway and carry aligned bearings 39 in which the opposite end portions of a hollow shaft 3| are journalled for rotation of such shaft about a horizontal axis. The opposite end portions of shaft 3! are provided with means engaging the edges of the supporting bearings and preventing axial movement of the shaft relative to carriage 29, for example the radially extending flange 32 and the annular cap 33 appearing in the drawing. One end of shaft 3 i, in the illustrated embodiment the inner end thereof, projects through and beyond 29 is shaped to provide a horizontal, laterally extending guideway for an auxiliary carriage 36.

While only one auxiliary carriage is carried within each of the main carriages of the illustrated embodiment, several of such auxiliary carriages may be so carried to provide supports for additional shear blades. Each auxiliary carriage 36 is formed with a horizontal bore having a bearing therein to rotatably support an outer hollow shaft 37 of an inner diameter sumcient to permit the related shaft 3! to extend slidably therethrough. Outer hollow shaft 31 has a length substantially smaller than the distance between the end Walls of main carriage 29 and is restrained against axial movement relative to its supporting auxiliary carriage by means similar to that employed for that purpose on the shaft 3!, so that outer shaft 31 is movable horizontally in a lateral direction with its auxiliary carriage and independent of any such motion by the related main carriage or by the blade 3 One end of outer hollow shaft 31, in the illustrated case, the inwardly extending end, projects beyond its supporting auxiliary carriage to support a rotary shear blade 38 which is fixed thereto in a conventional manner.

In order to simultaneously rotate all of the rotary shear blades without obstructing or interfering with the horizontal adjustment thereof or with the vertical movement of the upper shear blades as a unit with the vertically movable upper beam i2, drive shafts 39 and 39 extend slidably into hollow shafts 3i and respectively, and are connected to a driving motor at one side (not shown) through couplings including universal joints it and 19, while keys or splines 41 and 42 engaging between outer shafts 31 and shafts 3|, and between shafts 3! and drive shafts 39, respectively (Fig. 2), insure the rotation of the blades 35 and 33 with the related drive shaft.

To provide for the horizontal movement of the upper main carriages 29, a lateral cavity 43 is formed in the upper beam and opens into guideway 23 of the latter, while each of the carriages 29 is formed with a gear rack :14 extending along such cavity. Shafts 45 extend at right angles to guideway 28 and are journalled in the upper beam act-tines above'each of the main carriages torotatab'ly support a-pinion 4-6meshing'with the related gear rack 44. The shafts 45 may be rotated manually; however; inthe preferred'embodiment, reversible electric motors 4? are carried at the opposite ends of the upper-beam '(Fig. l) and each isop'era'tively connected by suitable gearing to the adjacent one ofthe shafts 45. Thus, the motors ll'may'be utilized to'move each of the carriages 29 horizontally and with them the related shearblades 34 and 38';

The lower main carriages 29 are similarly moved along guideway 2'! by pinions 46' meshing with gear'racks 4t on the underside'sof such car riages (Fig. 2). However, the shafts on which such pinions are mounted are preferably individually rotated by electric motors 48 mounted at the rear of the base ii (Fig. 2) rather than atmthe-ends of the latter. Neither the motors 47' nor the motors lBareshow-n in Fig. 6 in the interests of clarity.

The slitting shear Hi also includes mechanism for horizontally and independently displacing each of the auxiliary carriages 36 and 36' relative to the main carriage by which it is carried. Such mechanism includes a pair of screw spindles 59 and 53 '(Fig. 2) rotatably extending through the outer end wall of each main carriage and threadedly engaging in'suitable tapped bores formed in the-"related auxiliary carriage. These are not shown in e in the interests of clarity. The screwspindl'esare simultaneously rotated in the same direction a conventional gear train mounted-within a gear "housing 55 carried at the outside of the outer-end wall of each main carriage; and such gear train is preferably driven by a suitable reversible electric motor 52 mounted on the gear housing. Thus, when motor 52 is energized to rotate the screw spindles i and 58, the-related auxiliary carriage and itsshear blade" 38 are horizontally displaced relative to the shear blade 34 supported by the main carriage in which suchauxiliary carriage is movable.

Since a slitting shear, having the structural fea tures related above, makes it possible to mount the several shear blades on-thesupporting'shaits sothat the free or unsupported length'soi the latter are negligible, such shafts are subject to only minor bending stresses even when metal plates of substantial thickness are being sheared into-longitudinal strips, and therefore excessive deflections of the shafts are avoided. It'is further apparent that the unsupported lengths of the- Shafts carrying the several shear blades are not increased as a result of changes in the relative positions of the blades, and that'the auxiliary carriages'tend "to support and stabilize the relativelylon'g'hollow shafts rotatably mounted in the main'carriages;

The "slitting shear embodying the present invention has the further advantage of permitting the stepless independent horizontal displacement ofeacli'of the several rotary shear blades so that the'machine may be" conveniently and quickly adapted to slit a metal sheet 01' plate "into strips of anydesired Width, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing, or merely to trim the edge portions of the metal plate as illustrated inFig. 5.

Furthermore, the resilient mounting for the upperbeam l2 insures the accurate Vertical 130- sitioningof .the'rotary shear blades by removing the play between the threaded portions of the columns and hut members 2:] as well as relieving theload from the latter to facilitate theinrota tion, while the provision for vertical movement of e such upper beam'p'ermits the 'axis'of rotation of the upper rotary shear blades to loo-lowered to wardstha't-of the lower'blad'esto compensated the reduction of the" diameters of the bladesasa result of normalwear so thatthe proper shear versed thus permitting the use of the cutting edgesat either sideof the blades for'shearing metal plates or sheets: Thus, while in'Figf l the upper blades 34 are shown positioned at the inner sides of the cooperating lower blades 34'; by reason of'the features-noted above the relative' positions of these blades may be reversed to position'th'e upper blades at theoutersides 'of the lower blades, thereby prolonging the useful life ofthe blades, as well as facilitating the setting upof' the proper shearing relationship under thevarying con'ditions'that may be encountered.

Whi1ea'preferred embodiment of the inVen-f tion'h'as been illustrated and described in detail, it will beapparent' that the new features of" construction and combination herein set forth" may be'em'bodied in other forms of slitting-"shears; and" it'is therefore desired that the invention bea'ccorded ascope fully commensurate with" its contributions to the "art, which are intended to' be 'defin'ed by" the appended claims.

What is claimed is;

1. Aslitting shear'comprising a framedefining a: laterally extending opening having horizontat uppenand'lower'edges; upper and lower guide ways formed along said'upperand lower edges, respectively; upper shear blade assemblies each including a main carriage slidable-on said upper guideway for independent horizontal movement" therealon'g, at least one auxiliary carriage slid-* ably mounted on'said main carriage for laterally horizontal movement independent of the latter and-between the ends of the latter, said auxiliary carriage being slidable with its main carriage and a shear'blade' rotatably supported on said main carriage and on each auxiliary carriage and mov able horizontally with the related carriage; and lower shear blade assemblies each including a mainoa'rriage slidable on said lower guideway," for independent horizontal movement therealong, at least one auxiliary carriage slidably mounted on the lastmentioned main carriage for laterally horizontal movement independent of the latter,

said auxiliary carriage being slidable with its" main carriage, and a shear blade rotatably supported on said last mentioned main carriage and oneach last mentioned auxiliary carriage and' movable horizontally with the related carriage to operatively. cooperate with the first mentioned shear blades for shearing a plate passed through said opening.

2. A slitting shear comprising a frame defining I a laterally extending opening having horizontal upper and lower edges; upper and lower guid'e ways formed along said upper and lower edges, re- -gspectivelyj and paired upper and low'er"'shearblad'ass'mblies carriedby saidframe-and' ex tending into said opening; each of said assemblies including a main carriage slidable on the related one of said guideways for independent horizontal movement therealong, at least one auxiliary carriage slidably mounted on said main carriage for laterally horizontal movement independent of the latter, a horizontal laterally extending shaft journalled on said main carriage, a hollow outer shaft journalled on each auxiliary carriage and sliding on the first mentioned shaft, and a shear blade fixed on said first mentioned shaft and a shear blade fixed on each hollow outer shaft to operatively cooperate with the related shear blades of the assembly paired therewith for shearing a plate passed through said opening.

3. A slitting shear comprising a frame defining a laterally extending opening having horizontal upper and lower edges; upper and lower guideways formed along said upper and lower edges, respectively; paired upper and lower shear blade assemblies carried by said frame and extending into said opening; each of said assemblies including a main carriage slidable on the related one of said guideways for independent horizontal movement therealong, at least one auxiliary carriage slidably mounted on said main carriage for laterally horizontal movement independent of the latter, a horizontal laterally extending shaft rotatably mounted on said main carirage and held against axial movement relative to the latter, a hollow outer shaft rotatably mounted on each auxiliary carriage and sliding on the first mentioned shaft, said outer shaft being held against axial movement relative to its supporting carriage, means holding said hollow outer shaft and said first mentioned shaft against rotational movement relative to each other, and a shear blade fixed on said first mentioned shaft and a shear blade fixed on each hollow outer shaft to operatively cooperate with the related shear blades of the assembly paired therewith for shearing a plate passed through said opening; and driving means engaging said first mentioned shafts of said upper and lower assemblies for rotating said shear blades.

4. A slitting shear comprising a frame defining a laterally extending opening having horizontal upper and lower edges; upper and lower guideways formed along said upper and lower edges, respectively; paired upper and lower shear blade assemblies carried by said frame and extending into said opening; each of said assemblies including a main carriage slidable on the related one of said guideways for independent horizontal movement therealong, at least one auxiliary carriage slidably mounted on said main carriage for laterally horizontal movement independent of the latter, a horizontal laterally extending hollow shaft journalled on said main carriage for axial movement with the latter, a hollow outer shaft journalled on each auxiliary carriage for axial movement with the latter and sliding on the first mentioned hollow shaft, means holding said first mentioned shaft and said outer shaft against rotational movement relative to each other, and a shear blade fixed on said first mentioned shaft and a shear blade fixed on each outer shaft to operatively cooperate with the related shear blades of the assembly paired therewith for shearing a plate passed through said opening; an upper and a lower driving shaft extending slidably in said first mentioned hollow shafts of said upper and lower shear blade assemblies, respectively; means holding said driving shafts and said first mentioned hollow shafts against rotational movement relative to each other; and means rotating said driving shafts.

5. A slitting shear comprising a frame with a fixed base and an upper beam defining a laterally extending opening having horizontal upper and lower edges; upper and lower guideways formed along said upper and lower edges, respectively; vertical columns extending from said base; resilient means suspending said upper beam from said columns; means connected with said columns for laterally stabilizing said upper beam; paired upper and lower shear blade assemblies carried by said frame and extending into said opening; each of said assemblies including a main carriage slidably supported on the related one of said guideways for independent horizontal movement therealong, at least one auxiliary carriage slidably mounted on said main carriage for laterally horizontal movement independent of the latter but movable therewith, and a shear blade rotatably supported on said main carriage and a shear blade rotatably supported on each auxiliary carriage to operatively cooperate with the related shear blades of the assembly paired therewith for shearing a plate passed through said opening; independent means carried by said frame and engaging said main carriage for each of said upper and lower assemblies to move the related main carriage horizontally along its supporting guideway; and means on each main carriage engaging the related auxiliary carriage to move the latter horizontally in a lateral direction relative to said carriage so that each of said shear blades is independently axially movable to permit shearing of a plate into strips of any desired widths.

6. A slitting shear comprising a frame defining a laterally extending opening having horizontal upper and lower edges; upper and lower guideways formed along said upper and lower edges, respectively; paired upper and lower shear blade assemblies carried by said frame and extending into said opening; each of said assemblies including a main carriage slidably supported on the related one of said guideways for independent horizontal movement therealong, at least one auxiliary carriage slidably supported on said main carriage for laterally horizontal movement independent of the latter and between the ends of the latter, said auxiliary carriage being slidable with its main carriage, and a shear blade rotatably supported on said main carriage for axial horizontal movement with the latter and a shear blade rotatably supported on each auxilia ry carriage for axial horizontal movement with the latter and to operatively cooperate with the related shear blades of the assembly paired therewith in shearing a plate passed through said opening; means rotating said shear blades; individual means for independently moving each main carriage horizontally along its supporting guideway; and individual means for independently moving each auxiliary carriage horizontally in a lateral direction on its supporting main carriage.

'7. A slitting shear comprising a frame defining a laterally extending opening having horizontal upper and lower edges; upper and lower guideways formed along said upper and lower edges, respectively; paired upper and lower shear blade assemblies carried by said frame and extending into said opening; each of said assemblies including a main carriage slidably supported on the related one of said guideway for independent horizontal movement therealong, at least one auxiliary carriage slidably supported on said main carriage for laterally horizontal movement independent of the latter and between the ends of the latter, said auxiliary carriage being slidable with its main carriage, and a shear blade rotatably supported on said main carriage for axial horizontal movement with the latter and a shear blade rotatably supported on each auxiliary carriage for axial horizontal movement with the latter and to operatively cooperate with the related shear blades of the assembly paired therewith in shearing a plate passed through said opening;

assembly and meshing with said gear rack thereof; independent means for rotating each of said pinions; laterally extending horizontal screw spindles rotatably carried by each main carriage for each auxiliary carriage supported thereriage so that said shear blades are independently movable in a lateral and horizontal direction and in a stepless manner to permit shearing of a plate into strips of any desired widths.

8. A slitting shear comprising a frame defining a laterally extending opening having horizontal upper and lower edges; upper and lower guideways formed along said upper and lower edges, respectively, a plurality of paired upper and lower shear-blade assemblies carried by said frame and extending into said opening; said 35 extending laterally between the ends of the frame; means for rotating said shafts; each of said'assemblies including a main carriage slidable on the related one of said guideways for independent horizontal movement therealong, at least one auxiliary carriage slidably mounted on said main carriage for laterally horizontal movement independent of the latter; and a shear blade rotatably supported on each main carriage and on each auxiliary carriage and movable horizontally with the related carriage to cooperate operatively with the rotated shear blades of the assembly paired therewith for shearing a plate passed through said opening; said shaft being drivingly connected with each shear blade for rotating the same.

References Cited in the file Of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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